San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee Meeting - February 27, 2023
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San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee Meeting - February 27, 2023
The Rules Committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors met on Monday, February 27, 2023, at 10:15 AM. The committee considered four mayoral appointments and two legislative items. The meeting lasted several hours, with extensive public testimony on the proposal to discontinue remote public comment. Below is a summary of each agenda item and the committee's actions.
Appointment to Assessment Appeals Board No. 1 (Item 1)
- The committee unanimously recommended (3-0) the appointment of one member to Seat 6, term ending September 2, 2025, to the full Board with a positive recommendation. No public comment was received. Chair Dorsey noted that residency is not required due to state law.
Mayoral Appointment to Commission on Community Investment and Infrastructure - Tamsen Drew (Item 3)
- The committee heard from Tamsen Drew, a former senior project manager at the Office of Community Investment and Infrastructure (OCII). She discussed her experience at Hunters Point Shipyard and Candlestick Point, including the Tetra Tech falsification scandal and the need for independent oversight of Navy cleanup. She also addressed the Certificate of Preference program. Supportive public comments were made by Andrew Robinson (East Cut CBD), Jermaine Jones, Tanika Moss (All Home), Essen Josephaba, Sujata Shrivasava (SPUR), and Deanna. Concern was raised by Francisco DeCosta and William Zieber about environmental cleanup and community trust. The committee voted unanimously to amend the motion to strike "reject" and send to the full board with a positive recommendation.
Mayoral Appointment to Historic Preservation Commission - Victoria Gray (Item 2)
- Victoria Gray, a native San Franciscan with a background in art history and auction work, appeared for the historian seat. She emphasized her expertise in historic interiors and objects. President Peskin questioned whether she met the Secretary of the Interior's professional qualifications for history. He argued that her experience at an auction house does not constitute a professional institution and that her scholarly contributions are insufficient. Supervisor Safai expressed conflict, noting the importance of collaboration with preservation community. The public, including Carolyn Monte (San Francisco Heritage), opposed the nomination, while Richard Johns (outgoing historian) and others supported. The committee voted 2-1 (Safai dissenting) to send the appointment to the full board with a positive recommendation.
Motion to Discontinue Remote Participation and Remote Public Comment (Item 5)
- This motion, sponsored by Supervisor Mandelman, would discontinue remote participation by supervisors and remote public comment except as required for disability accommodations. The committee heard 16 telephone callers and several in-person speakers, all in opposition to the motion. Speakers cited barriers for seniors, people with disabilities, working parents, immunocompromised individuals, and those far from City Hall. Many argued that requiring a 72-hour ADA accommodation request is burdensome and discriminatory. Deputy City Administrator Jennifer Johnston presented the Mayor's Office guidelines for city policy bodies, which allow time-limited remote comment for non-ADA reasons. Chair Dorsey proposed amendments to preserve the status quo but withdrew when it became clear they would not pass. The committee then voted unanimously (3-0) to send the motion to the full Board without recommendation.
Ordinance Related to Homelessness Oversight Commission (Item 4)
- Supervisor Safai presented amendments to the administrative code and business and tax regulations code, as required by Proposition C (November 2022 election). The amendments streamline oversight by moving the Shelter Monitoring Committee (SMC) staffing from the Department of Public Health (DPH) to the Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH). Public commenters from the Coalition on Homelessness, SMC members, and advocates strongly opposed moving SMC under HSH, arguing it creates a conflict of interest. Supervisor Walton supported the move for nimbleness. After discussion, the committee voted unanimously (3-0) to send the ordinance to the full Board with a positive recommendation as a committee report.
Key Outcomes
- Item 1: Unanimous positive recommendation to full Board.
- Item 3: Unanimous positive recommendation to full Board (after amendment).
- Item 2: Positive recommendation to full Board on a 2-1 vote (Safai dissenting).
- Item 5: Sent to full Board without recommendation (unanimous).
- Item 4: Unanimous positive recommendation to full Board as committee report.
Meeting Transcript
This meeting will come to order. Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Monday, February 27th, 2023, meeting of the rules committee of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. I am Supervisor Matt Dorsey, chair of the chair of this committee. And I'm joined today by my colleagues, Vice Chair Shimon Walton, and committee member Asha Safai. On behalf of my colleagues, I want to express our gratitude to our committee clerk, Mr. Victor Young, and also to Michael Baltazar and the entire team at SFGov TV for staffing today's meeting. Mr. Clerk, do you have any announcements? Yes, the Board of Supervisors and its committees are now convening hybrid meetings that allow in-person attendance and public comment while still providing remote access and public comment via telephone. The board recognizes that equitable public access is essential and be taking public comment as follows. First public comment will be taken on each item on this agenda. Those attending in person will be allowed to speak first. And then we will take those who are waiting on the telephone line. For those watching either channel 26, 28, 78, or 99 and sfgovtv.org. The bubble the public comment call-in numbers are is streaming across the screen. The number is 415-655-0001. Then enter the meeting ID of 2495-608-1333, then press pound and pound again. When connected, you will hear the meeting discussion, but you will mute it and in listening mode only. When your item of interest comes up and public comment is called, those joining us in person should line up to speak. And those on the telephone should have star three to be added to the speaker line. If you're on the telephone, please remember to turn down your TV and all listening devices you may be using. As already indicated, we will take public comment from those attending in-person first, and then we will go to public comment telephone line. Alternatively, you may submit public comment in writing in either of the following ways. Email them to myself, the rules committee clerk at VICTOR.yo UNG at sfgov.org. If you submit public comment via email, it'll be forwarded to the supervisors included as part of the file. May also send your written comment via U.S. mail to our office at City Hall 1. Dr. Garden B. Goodlit Place, room 244, San Francisco, California, 94102. That concludes my initial comments. Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Um, before asking the clerk to call item number one, I just wanted to um uh mention that I'm gonna be making a couple of changes to the order to accommodate our colleague, President Aaron Peskin, who's gonna be joining us, um, and also better accommodate public interest and participation among those who braved a rainy morning uh to make public comment on the issue of public comment. So I will ask that items one and three be called before items two, and that item number five governing board rules around uh remote public comment be called before item four on the homelessness oversight commission, uh which will be the last item today. So the sequence will be one, three, two, five, and four, and I'll remember to call them in that order. Mr. Clerk, would you please call item number one? Yes, item number one is here and consider appointing one member, term ending September 2nd, 2025, to the assessment appeals board number one. One seat one applicant for seat number six. I believe this uh speaker was present and uh provided testimony at our last meeting, but they are present on the telephone line uh if you like uh additional comments from this person. Uh thank you, Mr. Clerk. Uh Ms. Mitchell already spoke to her interest and qualifications at our last meeting. The item had to be continued uh due to an issue with the vacancy notice. So Ms. Mitchell is not joining us today, but is on remote. Um if there were any follow-up questions. Um colleagues, are there any uh questions for Ms.
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